Chandigarh, January 22
While the fate of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and MLA Sher Singh Badshami seems to have been sealed as far as contesting the October, 2014, Assembly elections in Haryana is concerned, the trio will have to move an appeal or face disqualification.

The Chautalas and Badshami, the then political adviser, all sitting members of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, have precisely three months to file an appeal against their conviction and the sentence failing which they will stand disqualified from the House.

As of now, the verdict of the CBI court will neither have a bearing on their membership of the Assembly nor alter the status of the Leader of Opposition enjoyed by the senior Chautala.

Vidhan sabha officials maintained that the three MLAs in question are protected under the Representation of People Act, 1951, since it provides that parliamentarians and legislators can continue to represent their constituencies till the end of the term. In this case, it means that they can continue as MLAs till October, 2014, when Haryana goes to the polls. No action can be initiated against them till the appeal or application is disposed of.

However, the mandatory condition is that they must file an appeal within three months of the verdict or face disqualification.

Also, the officials said while the three might not be able to contest the next elections, their fate would be sealed for six years after their release as per the provisions of the Act.

This is if the court of appeal does not stay before finally setting aside their conviction.

New Delhi, January 22
On a day when a Delhi court sentenced former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Chautala, the Indian National Lok Dal held a meeting here today in which it decided to hold protests in each district of Haryana on January 25.

Those present at the INLD meeting included Abhay Chautala, the other son of former Chief Minister and old loyalist Ashok Arora.

Sources in the INLD said protests would be held and a show of solidarity shown with the Chautala family on January 25. The conviction did not mean the party was coming to an end, it would continue in the same fashion, a senior party functionary said.

He added that this is the message that the party would send down the line on January 25.

Abhay Chautala told his supporters that his father and brother’s arrest in the JBT scam was a conspiracy by the CBI and the Congress to malign them.

Meanwhile, president of the Haryana Janhit Congress Kuldeep Bishnoi said his core group met today. “The HJC in alliance with the BJP was running ahead of the Congress and with this court decision, our path has been cleared further,” Bishnoi said. He added that the INLD had been on the decline for the past two years and this decision would finish it.

The BJP has had an acrimonious relationship with the INLD in an alliance earlier.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda appealed to the people to maintain peace. "Have faith in the judiciary. I want to appeal to the people to maintain peace. The investigations into the case began during the NDA regime ( 2003)."

The Delhi police has increased the security cover outside Hooda's residence in Delhi. 

Om Prakash Chautala (main conspirator)

“There is profuse evidence available on record to show that it was Om Prakash Chautala, who managing the whole affairs. All accused were acting under the directions and wishes of Chautala,” said the judgement.

Ajay Chautala (co-conspirator)

The judgement stated that call details showed that Ajay was in touch with Sanjiv Kumar. Ajay had a stake in the parliamentary constituency of Bhiwani district and the final result showed that the candidates selected from Bhiwani far exceeded the vacancies of that district.

Sher Singh Badshami (active participant in conspiracy)

A complete chain of evidence is available on record about his main and active participation in the entire conspiracy from beginning to the end. “He was involved in the process of selection... when the vacancies of the JBT teachers were taken out from the purview of Haryana Staff Selection Commission,” said the judge added.

Vidya Dhar (main conspirator)

Was involved in the conspiracy from the very beginning and was not only instrumental in pressurising Rajni Shekri Sibal (then Director Primary Education) to change the award lists at his residence but also actively participated in the meeting where many chairpersons and members (of selection committees) were called to a Chandigarh guest house and were directed to prepare second award lists.

Sanjiv Kumar (whistleblower-turned convict)

Sanjiv Kumar took a stand before the Supreme Court and in the CBI Court that “the Supreme Court lists are the fake lists and the Directorate lists are the genuine lists”. Rather, it has been proved beyond doubt that the Supreme Court lists, which were in his possession, were the genuine lists and the Directorate lists were the fake lists. It also stands proved that result was declared and appointments were given on the basis of these fake Directorate lists.

Chandigarh, January 22
The 10-year sentence to two of the three top leaders of the INLD has created an unprecedented situation for the party, putting a question mark on its future. It will be a testing time for the remaining one-third top leadership — Abhay Singh Chautala — to steer the party in the darkest period in its life.

The immediate political fallout of the Rohini court’s judgement will be that the political isolation of the INLD would not end before the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections due next year. The party can never hope to come to power in the state while remaining in political isolation. History is witness to it.

The day the Chautalas were convicted, the INLD rank and file was cheerful because newspapers carried reports of a BSP function held at Karnal the previous day, in which senior BSP leader Raja Ram had praised INLD patron Devi Lal, former deputy prime minister. The INLD workers took Raja Ram’s statement as a signal of the BSP’s willingness to have an alliance with their party. The INLD was in despair after its traditional ally, the BJP, tied up with the Haryana Janhit Congress of Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal.

From time to time, the Chautalas had been making efforts to rebuild bridges with the BJP by calling upon Central leaders or even participating in the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Chief Minister of Gujarat. But the BJP state leadership, barring a couple of leaders, is equally determined not to have any truck with the Chautalas, who, when they were in power, did everything to humiliate prominent Haryana BJP leaders.

Under these circumstances, Raja Ram’s statement came as pleasant news for the INLD workers. So far, the BSP too had been maintaining a distance from the INLD, though, a section of the Haryana BSP led by deputy speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Akram Khan has been a strong votary for an alliance with the INLD.

The INLD blames the Central agency for targeting their leaders allegedly at the behest of the Congress. But it forgets to mention that the inquiry against the Chautalas was initiated by the CBI on the orders of the Supreme Court. Moreover, when the CBI registered the preliminary enquiry (PE), the Centre was being ruled by the NDA, of which the INLD was a partner.

In his diatribe against the CBI, Abhay said all those regional leaders who dared to raise the voice of their areas, were being “victimised” by the CBI. He is aware that under the circumstances, no national party would like to be seen in the company of the INLD. Then, why not try to garner the support of some regional parties, which may be equal “victims” of the CBI?

However, under the prevailing circumstances, when the country’s mood is to punish corrupt politicians, BSP supremo Mayawati may not like to have any truck with the “discredited” INLD. 

Chandigarh, January 22
The 10-year jail term for former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and his MLA son Ajay Chautala in the JBT teachers recruitment scam by a Delhi court today sparked off mixed reactions across the political spectrum in Haryana.

While the HJC-BJP alliance appeared upbeat, the ruling Congress said law will takes its own course.

The INLD again raised the bogey of “misuse” of the CBI by the Congress to prevent the party’s march to power in next year’s Haryana assembly elections. “The party will challenge the judgement in the Delhi High Court and truth will prevail, resulting in the acquittal of my father and brother,” Chautala’s younger son and Ellenabad MLA Abhay Chautala asserted.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda stuck to his "law is taking it own course" remark.

His troubleshooter and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Surjewala was more vocal as he said that the law would catch up with those indulging in corruption and nepotism.

Surjewala said: "It is a lesson for those holding high posts on the political as well as administrative side."

Kuldip Bishnoi, head of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) which is in alliance with the BJP and is trying to provide a “non-jat” alternative to the people in place of the Hooda government, was quick to declare that the INLD was on the verge of a collapse. "I welcome the historic decision of the CBI court. It will impact the future politics of the country and provide a new direction to Haryana politics,” Bishnoi told The Tribune over phone from Delhi.

Though Bishnoi claimed that the people of the state had already made up their mind in the wake of Hooda’s ‘misrule’, Congress leaders claimed that the INLD vote bank, particularly the jat vote bank, came to the Congress on account of its development record.

Meanwhile, Haryana Congress spokesperson Ran Singh Maan said one should not be surprised by the decision of the CBI court because it was consequence of turning a political party into a ‘gang’ by Chautala.

Mann, a former parliamentary secretary to Chautala’s father Devi Lal, had forewarned Devi Lal through a nine-page letter on June 27,1990, informing him about Chautala’s ‘interference’ which was making the party “directionless”. Mann's letter had become a subject of The Tribune editorial on July 2,1990, headlined “Haryana’s Dhritrashtra”, referring to Devi Lal turning a blind eye to Chautala’s ‘faults’.

In another development, INLD state president Ashok Arora alleged that a state of “undeclared emergency” prevailed in the country and whosoever raised a voice against the misdeeds of the Congress was harassed through the CBI.

The party will challenge the judgement in the Delhi High Court and truth will prevail, resulting in the acquittal of my father and brother
— Abhay Chautala, Chautala's younger son

It is a lesson for those holding high posts on the political as well as administrative side
— Randeep Surjewala, Parliamentary Affairs Minister 

I welcome the historic decision of the CBI court. It will impact the future politics of the country and provide a new direction to Haryana politics
— Kuldip Bishnoi, head of Haryana Janhit Congress 

One should not be surprised by the decision because it is a consequence of turning a political party into a 'gang' by Chautala
— Ran Singh Maan, Haryana Congress spokesperson 

Sonepat, January 22
A 17-year-old minor girl of Khatik Mohalla in Gohana town was allegedly raped by five youths identified as Pinni, Montu, Bhondu, Hanuman and Naveen of the same mohalla on Sunday.

The victim and the accused are from the scheduled caste.

The police claims to have arrested Pinni, Montu, Bhondu and, Hanuman and a woman, Sangeeta, of the same locality within a few hours of the registration of the case today in city police station, Gohana. Naveen has reportedly absconded.

Sangeeta allegedly conspired the gang rape of the victim at her house.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim’s family members, the victim who has lost her father and mother, was asked by Sangeeta to come to her house on January 18. When the victim entered Sangeeta’s house, the accused who were already there allegedly raped her.

The victim became unconscious and after regaining consciousness today, she narrated the incident to her brother, bhabhi and father’s sister and they lodged a complaint with the police.

After receiving information, DSP Usha who is nodal officer, also reached Gohana. 

Fatehabad, January 22
The police has arrested five persons in the gang rape a Dalit minor girl at Banawali village in Fatehabad.

Those arrested are Vicky, Monty and Pradeep, who allegedly raped the victim, and a couple, Surjit Singh and Saroj, with whom the girl worked as a maid.

The victim's father, a Dalit from Shekhupur Daroli, had alleged in his complaint to the police that his 16-year-old daughter had been working at Surjit's residence for the past four or five years.

The accused Vicky, Monty and Pradeep used to come to his residence.

On January 10, the accused gave intoxicant-laced tea to the victim and when she fell unconscious; they took her to a shop in Banawali and raped her one after the other.

The victim's father had approached the police on January 11 but the police did not register his FIR and instead pressured him for withdrawing his complaint.

Vikas Dhankhar, SP, had suspended SHO Jagdish Chander and an ASI Devi Lal for their lapse in not registering the FIR.

Chandigarh, January 22
The Haryana Sahitya Akademi has announced the names of writers who would be awarded for their outstanding contribution to Hindi and Haryanvi literature for the year 2012.

Sahitya Akademi director Shyam Sakha ‘Shyam’ said each award winner would be given a cash prize of Rs 21,000 and a memento.

Those who would be hononured under the Shrestha Kriti Puraskar Yojna-2012 for their contribution towards Hindi literature included Gulshan Madan from Kaithal, Vikas Sharma Raj from Sonepat, M Kamlesh Chaudhary from Kurukshetra and Anju Dua Jamini from Faridabad.

Similarly, Shashi Bhushan Singhal from Delhi, Sheel Kaushik from Sirsa, Sanjeev Kumar from Yamunanagar, Hanumant Rai Neerav from Rohtak and Hukam Singh Nandal from Rohtak would also be honoured.

Shyam said under the Shrestha Kriti Puraskar Yojna-2012, those who would be awarded for their contribution towards Haryanvi literature, included Yogender Moudgil from Panipat, Yashdeep Malik Anubhav from Gohana, Sudhir Sharma from Rohtak and Puran Chand Sharma from Rohtak.

Chandigarh, January 22
Quashing the appointment of 13 clerks in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today minced no words to say that the apprehensions of the selection process being an eyewash to accommodate incumbents already working on ad hoc basis appeared to be correct.

Allowing the petition filed by Devender Sheokand against the Vidhan Sabha and other respondents, Justice Augustine George Masih also directed the holding of fresh selection in accordance with law? within two months of receiving the order's certified copy.

Justice Masih ruled: The assertion of the petitioner that the selection process for posts of clerk was merely an eyewash and intended to accommodate the respondents as regular clerks, who were already working on ad hoc/89 days' basis with the Vidhan Sabha, appears to be correct.?

Justice Masih also took note of the fact that the entire interview process by a committee for various posts lasted about three-and-a-half hours.

During the period, the committee interviewed 85-90 candidates.

In this short span of time, it is difficult to accept that the committee would have, apart from taking the testimonials of the candidates, asked different questions on different problems to assess the overall performance of the candidates?. Even if 80 candidates are taken to have been interviewed, each candidate, on an average, thus, was interviewed for less than three minutes,Justice Masih observed.

Another factor for consideration was the requirement of assessing the typing speed of a candidate which was totally overlooked by the selection committee. A type test was, in fact, not conducted by the selection committee.

Another ground which creates doubt in the mind of the court with regard to the selection being unfair is the result sheet where there have been a large number of cuttings on adjustment of marks of the candidates who had appeared for interview?.

There has been cutting/rewriting/overwriting in the marks of eight of 46 candidates.

The factum that all these 13 selected and appointed candidates were working with the respondents stands admitted by the respondents in their reply filed.

The selection cannot be sustained and stands vitiated, Justice Masih concluded.

Karnal, January 22
Keen to avenge their humiliating defeat in the SGPC polls held in September 2011, both factions of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (HSGPC) ad hoc, led by Jagdish Singh Jhinda and Didar Singh Nalvi have decided to oppose the Badal faction in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) polls slated for January 27.

Calling upon Delhi Sikhs to defeat the Badal faction in the Delhi SGMC polls, the president of HSGPC, Jagdish Singh Jhinda, said he would lead a "jatha" to campaign in favour of the Sarna faction to ensure the defeat of the candidates of the Badal faction.

The jatha would reach Delhi on January 23 and campaign for the Sarna faction candidates. Its members would go from door to door to expose how the Badals had made the SGPC (Amritsar) a puppet in their hands and exploited the Sikhs, he added.

Jhinda hailed Sikhs from Rajasthan for raising the voice for a separate SGPC for the state and said soon all the states would demand separate SGPCs and the domain of the present SGPC (Amritsar) would be automatically limited to Punjab only.

He said the HSGPC would also submit a memorandum to President and Union Home Minister on February 10, demanding the setting up of a separate SGPC for the Sikhs of Haryana in accordance with the provisions of Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966 and warned that any delay would lead to serious consequences.

The president of the rival faction of the HSGPC, Didar Singh Nalvi, was equally bitter about the “dictatorial” attitude of the Badals and said he would oppose the candidates of the Badal faction “tooth and nail” and leave no stone unturned to script victory of the Sarna faction.

Drawing a parallel between the DSGMC and SGPC (Amritsar), Nalvi said the former was a duly elected house and a true representative of the Delhi Sikhs while the latter was a house dominated by “dictators” and a puppet in the hands of the Badals.

Charging the Badals with trying to muzzle the voice of the Sikhs, Nalvi demanded transparency in SGPC affairs and the restoration of democratic norms. He alleged that at present the SGPC was elected by the whims and fancies of the Badal group.

Gurgaon, January 22
The State Vigilance Bureau has caught Satvir Singh and Sunil Kumar, ASIs posted in the office of the Superintending Engineer (Operations), Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd, in Gurgaon while allegedly accepting illegal gratification of Rs 20,000 from Ajit Singh of Basai village in Gurgaon for not registering a case pertaining to theft of electricity.

A spokesman said a case had been registered against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Vigilance Bureau police station in Gurgaon. — TNS

Hisar, January 22
A doctor working in the General Hospital at Fatehabad has tested positive for swine flu, while four suspected cases of the disease have come to light in Hisar.

Sources said the health authorities in Hisar had sent samples of a 50-year-old Fatehabad resident, a 57-year-old man from Jind, a 70-year-old farmer from Kheri Chopta village of Hisar and a 63-year-old woman from Sarsaud village for testing.

The Fatehabad doctor, who complained of cough, cold and fever, tested positive for Swine Flu when his samples were sent to a laboratory for testing.

Last week, a villager from Chhatteria village in Sirsa district had died of Swine Flu in a private hospital in Hisar.

Sonepat, January 22
The police has arrested two persons, Gagan Deep and Dinesh of Jind town, allegedly involved in a double murder case, within three days after the incident.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rakam Singh here today said Raman and Sunil of Rohtak were shot dead on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh Road on January 17 night and a case of murder was registered against unidentified persons on the complaint of Raman’s father Darshan Lal at the Rai police station.

The DSP said they confessed their involvement in the murder of Raman and Sunil. He said Raman and Sunil struck a deal with the alleged accused to purchase heroine from an army person for Rs 10 lakh and market value of the drug in Mumbai was around Rs 2.50 crore and both the parties were to arrange Rs 5 lakh each. With the planning to loot Rs 5 lakh from Raman and Sunil, Gagan Deep and Dinesh kept some papers, clothes and a mouser in a bag and reached Rohtak to meet Raman and Sunil with a promise to hand Rs 5 lakh to them.

With similar planning, Sunil and Raman also prepared bundles of papers attaching currency notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination on both sides of the paper bundles and they all left for Sonepat in a car being driven by Sunil.

When they reached near Jat Joshi village, Raman got down from the car saying that he would contact the army person on phone. Dinesh also got down from the car Gagan Deep fired at Sunil and Dinesh shot Raman dead outside the car.